BBC2 did it for a few years and I think it ended on the BBC after Euro 96, ITV did it for France 1998 & Euro 2004. Christian O'Connell did World Cuppa on ITV4 in 2006 and James Corden's World Cup Live on ITV in 2010 which must have been the last tournament comedy crossover programme.

BBC2 did it for a few years and I think it ended on the BBC after Euro 96, ITV did it for France 1998 & Euro 2004. Christian O'Connell did World Cuppa on ITV4 in 2006 and James Corden's World Cup Live on ITV in 2010 which must have been the last tournament comedy crossover programme.

There was also Johnny Vaughan's World Cup Extra in 2002, shown on BBC Choice at 9pm every night and then repeated around 11pm on BBC1.

As you say, Fantasy Football began on BBC2 in 1994 and ran for three series, with specials during Euro 96 their final outing on the BBC. Then in 1998 it was on ITV, who poached it for a huge amount of money, and showed it live several times a week (the Euro 96 shows were just once a week). I remember David Baddiel saying if England made the final they'd go and just find somewhere to do the show - "If England get to the World Cup Final, I don't suppose anyone will be bothered half an hour of telly is a bit rubbish."

As you say, it was then revived for Euro 2004. No Jeff Astle this time, as he'd died, and I'm not sure this run was particularly well-remembered, it was still good though. I remember Des Lynam was doing a diary of the tournament, his last as a presenter of course. in the Telegraph at the time and in it he complained about having to stop for trailers for it, saying "ITV are desperate to prop up this ailing show". The miserable git.

That doesn't seem like an unreasonable excuse for not appearing, to be fair.

If we're chronicling comedy football shows, 2014 saw Baker and Kelly Not In Rio, which was an (almost) nightly hour on BT Sport, and essentially an extension of their Vaguely Sporting Phone-Out. It was a good watch (as Danny Baker's rambles usually are when he's not being accidentally racist), but I don't expect it troubled the BARB ratings much.

I've also got a vague memory of UKTV G2 doing something - maybe for the 2006 World Cup or one of the adjacent Euros - which came from BBC OBs' base in Kendal Avenue. They may even have had the rights to show some matches.

If we're chronicling comedy football shows, 2014 saw Baker and Kelly Not In Rio, which was an (almost) nightly hour on BT Sport, and essentially an extension of their Vaguely Sporting Phone-Out. It was a good watch (as Danny Baker's rambles usually are when he's not being accidentally racist), but I don't expect it troubled the BARB ratings much.

I've also got a vague memory of UKTV G2 doing something - maybe for the 2006 World Cup or one of the adjacent Euros - which came from BBC OBs' base in Kendal Avenue. They may even have had the rights to show some matches.

Indeed, in the 2006 World Cup the Beeb sub-licenced all their matches to UKTV G2 who simulcast them all, with alternative presentation from Andy Goldstein. Presumably this got the Beeb a few quid, illustrated the Beeb not being anti-competitive to impress Ofcom and it didn't affect their ratings, though I haven't got a clue who watched it on there. This was during the period when UKTV were considering launching a fully-fledged sports channel and they grabbed a few sports rights - they also sub-licenced Six Nations highlights rights from the Beeb - and had a weekly magazine show for a bit, and presumably the intention was to turn UKTV G2 into something like ITV4 with sport and male-skewing shows. But seemingly it didn't have the desired effect and they went in another direction and made it Dave.

As you say, Baker and Kelly did have a daily show during the 2014 World Cup, not that I watched any of it because I was so busy watching live football and, you know, going to work. But their weekly show was great fun, especially Bake's regular catchphrase, "We'll start the show properly after the break!"

If we're chronicling comedy football shows, 2014 saw Baker and Kelly Not In Rio, which was an (almost) nightly hour on BT Sport, and essentially an extension of their Vaguely Sporting Phone-Out. It was a good watch (as Danny Baker's rambles usually are when he's not being accidentally racist), but I don't expect it troubled the BARB ratings much.

I've also got a vague memory of UKTV G2 doing something - maybe for the 2006 World Cup or one of the adjacent Euros - which came from BBC OBs' base in Kendal Avenue. They may even have had the rights to show some matches.

Indeed, in the 2006 World Cup the Beeb sub-licenced all their matches to UKTV G2 who simulcast them all, with alternative presentation from Andy Goldstein. Presumably this got the Beeb a few quid, illustrated the Beeb not being anti-competitive to impress Ofcom and it didn't affect their ratings, though I haven't got a clue who watched it on there. This was during the period when UKTV were considering launching a fully-fledged sports channel and they grabbed a few sports rights - they also sub-licenced Six Nations highlights rights from the Beeb - and had a weekly magazine show for a bit, and presumably the intention was to turn UKTV G2 into something like ITV4 with sport and male-skewing shows. But seemingly it didn't have the desired effect and they went in another direction and made it Dave.

As you say, Baker and Kelly did have a daily show during the 2014 World Cup, not that I watched any of it because I was so busy watching live football and, you know, going to work. But their weekly show was great fun, especially Bake's regular catchphrase, "We'll start the show properly after the break!"

Indeed. It even came with it's own DOG and logo. They showed the aforementioned Six Nations highlights, Euroleague basketball (which led to the creation of the UKTV Slam strand, also showing the FIBA World Championships) and also some of the BBC output of swimming, cycling, and generally sports that leant towards minority.

As you say, Fantasy Football began on BBC2 in 1994 and ran for three series, with specials during Euro 96 their final outing on the BBC. Then in 1998 it was on ITV, who poached it for a huge amount of money, and showed it live several times a week (the Euro 96 shows were just once a week).

Fantasy Football travelled to ITV with David Liddiment (as did Frank Skinner once his BBC deal came up for renewal)

As you say, Fantasy Football began on BBC2 in 1994 and ran for three series, with specials during Euro 96 their final outing on the BBC. Then in 1998 it was on ITV, who poached it for a huge amount of money, and showed it live several times a week (the Euro 96 shows were just once a week).

Fantasy Football travelled to ITV with David Liddiment (as did Frank Skinner once his BBC deal came up for renewal)

Fantasy Football started on Radio 5*, and then moved to BBC2, then ITV.

The original was an actual Fantasy Football League competition between celebrities, that format point got gradually lost over the series though

Indeed, but Fantasy Football on Radio 5 was completely different to the telly show, Skinner and Baddiel only appeared as guests rather than hosts and it was a straight chat about fantasy football. Frank said that when Newman and Baddiel dissolved, the Beeb still wanted to use David Baddiel and asked him what might be a good format, and he suggested they do a show based on fantasy football with his mate Frank. I don't think anyone other than Skinner and Baddiel was involved both in the radio and TV version.